Something that has always defined me is being into things that my friends and family aren't really into. For instance, many of you know I have a strong preference for Puma shoes. To me, they are the most comfortable and I like the way they look the best, so that's what I typically go with. Well, when it comes to movies, TV shows, books, and music, I once again tend to like things that few people I know also like. I'm always open to recommendations, and I do like many things people close to me like, but there are certain things that just speak to me, or inspire me, or that I find incredible that other people just don't see the same way. One such thing is Arabic music.
I love almost all music, but there's something about music from the Middle East and North Africa that just captivates me: the exotic melodies, the beats of the traditional percussion instruments, the ornamentation in the vocals, the overall expressiveness and uniqueness is just ethereal and transcendent to me. The music really encapsulates the entire culture of the Arab World (at least based on what I know of it). Once I sort of "discovered" it I became obsessed with it, and this obsession hasn't decreased one bit since.
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| The Arab World |
The history of the Arab World is actually quite fascinating, and I'd guess many people don't know that our Western World would not be what it is today without the cultural diffusion that happened between Europe and the Arab World. From antiquity to the Crusades and thereafter, cultural exchanges have been vastly important for both regions. From Arabic cultures, Europe gained insights into mathematics, astronomy, medicine, various technologies, music, knowledge of spices, and many other fields. I know from my music background that Middle-Eastern musical styles and instruments greatly influenced Western Art music. From the ornamentation eventually seen as beautiful in vocal music (especially opera arias); to predecessors of the oboe, guitar, and string instruments (like the violin); to Western music theory and musical preferences (such as the distinction between harmonic and melodic minor scales — harmonic minor sounded too "exotic" (Middle Eastern) to some, thus the melodic minor contains a raised 6th to avoid the augmented 2nd that gives it that sound). Additionally, even amid nearly constant religious and ethnic unrest that has existed in the region for centuries (and of course persists today), it's even more impressive to consider the remarkable art, architecture, agricultural, and scientific advances this area of the world has produced.
In this post I'd like to just share a few selections of Arabic music that I particularly enjoy, simply to make others aware of it. I doubt many of you will begin listening to it like I do, but I believe that along with food, music is one of the best ways for a person to appreciate another culture.
To Jerusalem - Kingdom of Heaven Soundtrack
I remember seeing this movie while I was in high school and being completely entranced by the soundtrack, which of course is heavily based on traditional Middle-Eastern music. This track is the quintessential example of this style.
Ah W Noss - Nancy Ajram
Nancy Ajram is one of the biggest Arabic pop singers in the world. She's from Lebanon, has two daughters, is a UNICEF representative, and is a huge proponent of education for girls in the Middle East.
Baddallaa Aleyk - Nancy Ajram
My favorite song by her.
Laili - Dania Khatib
Another great singer from Lebanon.
Azini - The Idan Raichel Project
Here's a song that's actually from Israel, which is part of the Arab World only geographically.
Oud Improvisation - Naseer Shamma
An example of traditional Arabic improvisation on an oud (form of lute played in Arab countries).
Going Off - Spartacus: Blood and Sand Soundtrack
Just for fun, here's a track from the Spartacus soundtrack (composed by Joseph LoDuca). It's heard during a wild party scene in one of the episodes from Season 1. It actually is a great example of traditionally inspired Arabic music, complete with ouds and other strings, double reeds, and the iconic percussion instruments.
